Gaillardia plant named ‘Dogailspinmarcopsun’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Gaillardia plant named ‘Dogailspinmarcopsun’, characterized by its compact and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy habit; strong leaves that resist yellowing; early and freely flowering habit; single-type inflorescences; spoon-shaped ray florets that are bright red and yellow bi-colored; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Gaillardia aristata.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DOGAILSPINMARCOPSUN’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR & APPLICANT/ASSIGNEE

An European Community Plant Breeder's Rights application for the instant plant was filed by the Applicant/Assignee, Dümmen Group B.V. of De Lier, The Netherlands on Jan. 13, 2021, application number 2021/0127. Foreign priority is not claimed to this application.

The Inventor and Applicant/Assignee assert that no publications nor advertisements relating to sales, offers for sale or public distribution occurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application. Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor and/or Applicant/Assignee. Inventor and Applicant/Assignee claim a prior art exception under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filing date.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Gaillardia plant, botanically known as Gaillardia aristata and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Dogailspinmarcopsun’.

The new Gaillardia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact Gaillardia plants with unique and attractive inflorescences and healthy leaves.

The new Gaillardia plant originated from an open-pollination in July, 2016 of a proprietary selection of Gaillardia aristata identified as code number GA14-000037-002, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown proprietary selection of Gaillardia aristata as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Gaillardia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands in July, 2017.

Asexual reproduction of the new Gaillardia plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands, since August, 2017 has shown that the unique features of this new Gaillardia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Gaillardia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Dogailspinmarcopsun’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Dogailspinmarcopsun’ as a new and distinct Gaillardia plant:

-   -   1. Compact and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy habit.     -   3. Strong leaves that resist yellowing.     -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Single-type inflorescences.     -   6. Spoon-shaped ray florets that are bright red and yellow         bi-colored.     -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Gaillardia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Ray florets of plants of the new Gaillardia are spoon-shaped         whereas ray florets of plants of the female parent selection are         ligulate in shape.     -   2. Ray florets of plants of the new Gaillardia are bright red         and yellow bi-colored whereas ray florets of plants of the         female parent selection are orange and yellow bi-colored.

Plants of the new Gaillardia can be compared to plants of Gaillardia x grandiflora ‘Kiegalpea’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,717. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Gaillardia differ from plants of ‘Kiegalpea’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Ray florets of plants of the new Gaillardia are spoon-shaped         whereas ray florets of plants of ‘Kiegalpea’ are ligulate in         shape.     -   2. Ray florets of plants of the new Gaillardia are bright red         and yellow bi-colored whereas ray florets of plants of         ‘Kiegalpea’ are yellow in color with an orange-colored ring.

Plants of the new Gaillardia can also be compared to plants of Gaillardia x grandiflora ‘Kiegaldab’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,718. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Gaillardia differ from plants of ‘Kiegaldab’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Ray florets of plants of the new Gaillardia are spoon-shaped         whereas ray florets of plants of ‘Kiegaldab’ are ligulate in         shape.     -   2. Ray florets of plants of the new Gaillardia are bright red         and yellow bi-colored whereas ray florets of plants of         ‘Kiegaldab’ are dark burgundy and yellow bi-colored.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Gaillardia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Gaillardia plant.

The photograph is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Dogailspinmarcopsun’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in 17-cm containers during the summer in an outdoor nursery in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Gaillardia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 22° C. and night temperatures averaged 17° C. Plants were pinched one week after planting and were three months old when the photograph was taken and 28 weeks old when the description was taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Gaillardia aristata ‘Dogailspinmarcopsun’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Gaillardia             aristata identified as code number GA14-000037-002, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown proprietary selection of             Gaillardia aristata, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About twelve days at             temperatures about 26° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two weeks at             temperatures about 23° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About two             weeks at temperatures about 23° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 16 days             at temperatures about 18° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically             white to light brown in color, actual color of the roots is             dependent on substrate composition, water quality,             fertilizer type and formulation, substrate temperature and             physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching, medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; compact and             mounded plant habit; vigorous growth habit and rapid growth             rate; freely branching habit with about eight primary             branches each with about six secondary branches developing             per plant; dense and bushy appearance.         -   Plant height.—About 30 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 43 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 19 cm. Diameter:             About 5 mm. Internode length: About 3 cm. Strength: Strong.             Aspect: Upright to about 60° from vertical. Texture and             luster: Pubescent; glossy. Color: Close to 145A.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple; sessile.             Length: About 14 cm. Width: About 3.5 cm. Shape: Lanceolate.             Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire or serrate.             Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Slightly             pubescent, rough; glossy. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color:             Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 137C.             Fully developed leaves, upper surface: Close to 137C;             venation, close to 138D. Fully developed leaves, lower             surface: Close to 137C; venation, close to 143C. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Single inflorescence form with ray and disc             florets; inflorescences held mostly upright on strong             peduncles; ray and disc florets develop acropetally on a             capitulum.         -   Fragrance.—Faintly fragrant; pleasant.         -   Flowering response.—Plants begin flowering about 16 weeks             after planting; plants flower naturally during June and July             in The Netherlands.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good             substance for about eight to ten weeks on the plant;             inflorescences not persistent.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering habit, about 65             inflorescences develop per plant during the flowering             season.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 5.5 cm to 8 cm. Height:             About 3.5 cm. Disc diameter: About 2.5 cm.         -   Receptacles.—Height: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 9 mm.             Color: Close to 155A.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 1 cm. Diameter: About             2 cm. Shape: Button-shaped. Texture and luster: Smooth,             glabrous; matte. Color: Close to 144B.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 21 ray             florets arranged in a single whorl. Length: About 3 cm.             Width: About 1.2 cm. Shape: Spoon-shaped. Apex: Four to five             acute apices. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire; not undulate.             Aspect: Horizontal to slightly upright. Texture and luster,             upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Texture and luster,             lower surface: Pubescent; glossy. Color: When opening, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 45A; distally, close to 14A.             Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 45A; distally, close             to 14A; venation, close to 45A and 14A; main color becoming             closer to 25A with development. Fully opened, lower surface:             Close to 45A; distally, close to 14A; venation, close to             183C; with development, colors becoming closer to             proximally, close to 45D; mid-section, close to 25A; and             distally, close to 14A.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 132 massed             at the center of the receptacle in about nine whorls.             Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Shape: Fused             tubular. Apex: Acuminate. Texture and luster, inner surface:             Pubescent; matte. Texture and luster, outer surface: Smooth,             glabrous; matte. Color: When opening, inner and outer             surfaces: Close to 45A; towards the apex, close to 143D.             Fully opened, inner and outer surfaces: Close to 45A; color             becoming closer to 187A with development.         -   Involucral bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 45             arranged in about five whorls. Length: About 2 cm. Width:             About 5 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Base:             Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper and             lower surfaces: Pubescent; semi-glossy. Color, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 138A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 7 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm to 4 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster: Pubescent;             glossy. Color: Close to 145B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Quantity per floret: Five. Filament length: About             1 mm. Filament color: Close to 157A. Anther size: About 1 mm             by 5 mm. Anther shape: Rectangular with a triangular apex.             Anther color: Close to 15A; towards the apex, close to 187A.             Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 17A.             Gynoecium: Present on disc florets only. Quantity per             floret: One. Pistil length: About 8 mm. Stigma diameter:             About 1 mm. Stigma shape: Two-lobed, plumose. Stigma color:             Close to 187A. Style length: About 3 mm. Style color: Close             to 145D. Ovary color: Close to 157A.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit production have             not been observed on plants of the new Gaillardia. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Gaillardia     have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common     to Gaillardia plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Gaillardia have been observed     to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind and rain and     temperatures ranging from about −37° C. to about 30° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Gaillardia plant named ‘Dogailspinmarcopsun’ as illustrated and described. 